IFS announces the new release of IFS Instant Replication, a unique solution for rapid replication of data between offshore rigs or vessels and onshore facilities. The solution replicates documents and transactional data in maintenance and logistics processes via satellite.

IFS Instant Replication leverages standard functionality within the industry solution IFS Applications for offshore service to replicate and transfer business data and documents between offshore and onshore systems. The main enhancement has been to increase the speed of replication dramatically. Tests carried out in collaboration with customers reveal a dramatic reduction in replication time, compared to other legacy solutions; from over 24 hours to mere minutes or even seconds, depending on the network quality and information load.

This means that the onshore operation always has updated information for increased precision in decision-making processes. The solution replicates data on an application level, rather than on a database level, which ensures outstanding data quality control and advanced error management. The solution covers business-critical data in logistics, maintenance and documents.

“Our new replication solution is truly unique as it ensures rapid and reliable data transfer on an application level, even under the most challenging conditions. These characteristics make it ideal for upstream players within the oil and gas industry, such as marine seismic companies and drilling contractors, whose offshore units require quick and reliable data replication and transfer of critical business data. Although developed in close collaboration with some of the leading companies within the oil and gas industry, we can easily see a broader application of the functionality, for instance in the shipping industry,” said Dan Matthews, CTO, IFS.

The development of IFS Instant Replication has been a collaborative effort, using an agile development methodology and drawing deeply on customer feedback in addition to the industry experience found within the IFS Oil & Gas industry team. The solution is available as an industry extension to the next core version, IFS Applications 8, which is scheduled for release in May, 2012.

The Oil & Gas industry is one of IFS’ targeted markets. IFS offers flexible, component-based business solutions that manage the entire lifecycle of contracts, projects, assets and services. IFS Applications includes functionality for contract and project management, risk management, budgeting and forecasting, engineering, material management, fabrication, document management, service and asset management, all integrated with financials and human resources. Customers include Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS), Seadrill, Northern Atlantic Drilling, Microseismic, Flexpipe, Grenland Group, Babcock Engineering Services, Shawcor, Heerema Fabrication Group, Yantai Raffles, Archer, Apply Sørco, APL, Hertel, Bergen Group Rosenberg, Technip, BWO, Semco Maritime, Reinertsen, STX Europe, NCA and Hamworthy Gas Systems.